A Man under Authority

Acts 14:2

When reading verse two can you really put yourself into the story; “But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers.”  I can’t and most of the Christians I know who live in the great state of Texas have no experiential understanding of what verse two is telling us, or do they?  I believe the majority of Christian leaders and members of congregations do not stir up the unbelieving public for this one reason, they keep public matters private on issues of moral sin that are being promoted by the media and the progressives in our government and those who are agents of the devil. 

Some exceptions have been the Roman Catholic Church, when it comes to abortion and the laws that have been passed by our congress to force these issues on the church.  But when it comes to issues of marriage, where God has said it is a man and a woman coming together in marriage, our progressives in and out of the church have said that God just got it wrong, and a man should be able to marry a man, and a woman a woman, and many a powerful company has given vast amounts of support in dollars and media, like Home Depot, Target, and Starbucks, and others who agree with the progressives, and they do it because they have no fear of Christian leaders taking a stance against them.  But what is even worse, is that Christians who have strong beliefs that these actions are wrong will not be inconvenienced to shop elsewhere, because they just do not believe it is that important.  Maybe my dear brothers and sisters in Christ it is time to start reading the Scriptures, I’m sure that Romans 1:18-27, has not changed, and that God has not changed, and you should revisit what is written. 

I was one of a good number of men who attended a men’s ministry kick-off dinner for the coming year, and the speaker is a man I have the highest respect for.  He began by saying something like this: and in no way is this a quote, Men, many of you are concerned with the mess this country is in, and many of you are looking elsewhere and not at yourselves for the solution, but the problem lies in the person you see in the mirror.  When you get right with God and lead your family to seek the things of God, then one man at a time we will begin to change this country back to what God desires.  Great message, and the writer of James would have said; “In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.”  (James 2:17 NIV)  It has been my experience, that when a man comes under the authority of God’s Word he is confronted by what God would have him do and say.  Such a man gives little thought to what is proper by the world’s standards, nor what the church leadership will think of him, he need not take a poll of who will be offended and who will support his stance, for a man who is a man that looks to the Father and takes direction from him will fulfill what James 2:17 is saying. Note: (And it will differ with each man, for each man has his place in the battle line.)

The Bible is full of such men, and the examples are numerous, men like Stephen, Paul, Peter, James, John and Jesus.  Do you recall any time Jesus was concerned with what a man thought of Him, nor did he once take a poll or send up a trial balloon to see how the wind of public approval was blowing.  But He did take a stance against those who were in leadership, did He not call them out.  Matthew’s gospel gives some insight to this subject: “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people's bones and all uncleanness. So you also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.” (Matthew 23:27-28 ESV)

My prayer is that we would put our house in order, that we would be under the authority of Scripture, led by the Holy Spirit and taking our place in the battle, for no matter what others may say we are in a battle for the heart of a nation.  The hour is late, the battle will be costly, in what others think about you, but if your walking in the Spirit and not in the flesh, just remember these words of Jesus in John 10:10,“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”  God always calls men to stand for good and against evil in every generation, and as Nathan confronted King David on his personal sin, he called William Wilberforce in the late 1700’s to stand against slave trafficking and later He called Martin Luther King II to take a stance against judging a man by his skin color and not his heart and actions.  When you find what God calls sin, and for any reason, you support that sin or excuse it, you have moved to a very dangerous place.  James give this warning; “You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.”  (James 4:4 ESV)

This question only you can answer, are you willing to be under the authority of the One who came to bring life to you abundantly, if so, put on the full armor of God and take your place in the battle.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice